CII launches integrated health programme

New Delhi: The Confedration of Indian Industry on Tuesday launched the CII Healthy and Educated Villages Programme at its Annual Session in New Delhi.The programme integrates primary education with all the components vital for the health of every community.

Launching the programme, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi appreciated CII's initiative in transforming the rural healthcare in the country through this singularly momentous programme.

She further said that expanding and improving rural health infrastructure in the country would have positive and far-reaching consequences and lead to nation's inclusive growth.

Gandhi commended the multi-faceted approach of the programme, which represents the aggregated efforts of various corporates towards their corporate social responsibility.

The UPA Chairperson acknowledged that there is a terrible lacuna in healthcare delivery, especially in the northern parts of the country and that the National Rural Health Mission and public private partnerships could collectively meet the daunting challenges ahead and ensure better health for all.

Stressing that that more corporate citizens should be involved in this initiative, she also suggested incorporating health insurance to serve the larger public cause.

Urging more corporates to join in creating a healthy and educated rural India, the CII Task Force on Rural Health Chairman Naresh Trehan enumerated the benefits of the pilot project undertaken under the programme at Joniawas Village in the NCR region.

He further stated that a simple intervention has reduced incidence of infectious diseases in the village by 70 per cent.